“As long as our government sells us dreams, Turkey’s tourism is really sinking,” Turkish tourism experts said in an optimistic forecast by Treasury and Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati. The government’s dream is to keep the growing exchange rate of the Turkish lira at the expense of “fast money” coming from tourism, but the picture they paint is far from the truth – say Turkish experts.
So far, according to data for February, Turkey has already received 2.8 million tourists. But this is 20% less than in 2020, in the last months before the pandemic. At the same time, the decline was recorded in several markets at once – this is expected to be Ukraine and Russia, which accounted for 27.3% of the total number of tourists in the “pandemic” years, and in 2019 – 19%. The second market that Turkey is losing en masse, by the way, is domestic tourism – in times of crisis, citizens do not plan to go on vacation. By the way, the German market may also be affected.
Therefore, the optimistic forecast voiced by the Minister of Treasury and Finance Nureddin Nebati was sharply criticized. It will be recalled that he stated literally: “I believe that we will exceed our goal of 45 million tourists and $ 35 billion in tourism revenue.”
According to Serdar Karcilioglu, president of the Bodrum Association of Professional Hotel Managers (BOYD), the minister’s optimism is based on data on the occupancy of hotels in Istanbul – and is largely unfounded. “It is incorrect to summarize the completeness of Istanbul to Turkey. Because the number of beds in Istanbul corresponds to 10% of the number of beds in Turkey. We cannot index it for Turkey by resort regions, “the expert stressed. Unfortunately, the reality in the resorts is much gloomier.
“Hoteliers are carrying a huge debt burden and can no longer use the loan. Hotel owners owe $ 8 billion. To repay the debt, hoteliers sell rooms at prices below their cost. There are hotels that sell all inclusive for 200 TL. But even that is not enough, “he said. He also reminded that some hotels focused on the Russian market have not opened at all, and in others the occupancy rate is not higher than 35%.
Not the best thing in local resorts. Keksal Yildirim, a hotel operator in Seferihisar, told the tourist media that only 30 seats had been booked at his 150-seat hotel. “No activity, as expected. The country’s economic crisis is, of course, the main reason. Tourists can not go on vacation, even though many hoteliers set prices below cost, saving some money. This is a 50 percent loss compared to last year’s holiday season, “he said. The expert also supported the general position of the business: “We are ruined and drowning while the government sells dreams.”
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